Groupama 4 leads, Spanish duo Sailors of Year - the latest European and African sailing news

The Volvo Ocean Race is now in full swing and Franck Cammas and his crew onboard Groupama 4 lead the fleet.
A dramatic week saw the retirement of Team Sanya and urgent repairs to Abu Dhabi after her dismasting.

Recently named ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Iker Martínez and Xabier Fernández are currently at sea onboard Team Telefónica in the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante, Spain to Cape Town, South Africa. Third time lucky for this gold medal winning duo who were previously nominated in 2002 and 2004. Its is only the second time a Spanish crew has won the award. Congratulations Iker and Xabier.

IMOCA 60 skippers Jean Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3) and Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) are battling for the Transat Jacques Vabre lead with just three miles between them. The rest of the fleet are back and fighting for breeze, as the leaders extend their advantage. Actual (Yves Le Blevec - Samuel Manuard) is the leading Multi50, while Aquarelle.com (Yannick Bestaven - Eric Drouglazet) heads the Class40 fleet. Bernard Stamm and Jean Francois Cuzon (Cheminées Poujoulat) are now safely back on the Azores island of Terceira after setting off their distress beacon when the boat began taking on water.

In other news Sail Melbourne, the first leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup is underway in Melbourne, Australia. It has been a testing time for all the sailors, with conditions variable (from light breezes to gales).

The Clipper Round the World Yachts are on their way from Geraldton, Western Australia to Tauranga in New Zealand, a distance of 3,800 miles. At last report Gold Coast Australia led Visit Finland and Derry-Londonderry.

More news, views, images and videos including America's Cup, Global Ocean Race, World Match Racing Tour - stay tuned to www.sail-world.com for all the latest, up to date sailing news from around the globe.

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